Tongariro School

School Evaluation Report 

Tēnā koutou e mau manawa rahi ki te kaupapa e aro ake nei, ko te tamaiti te pūtake o te kaupapa. Mā wai rā e kawe, mā tātau katoa.

We acknowledge the collective effort, responsibility and commitment by all to ensure that the child remains at the heart of the matter.

Every New Zealand state and state integrated school has an ERO review at least once every 4 years to evaluate what is working well for learners and what needs to be improved. 

About the school

Tongariro School situated in the town of Tūrangi, is a coeducational school providing education for students in Years 1 to 13 and 87% of the students are Māori. Whakaute, Tuakiritanga, Kotahitanga and Whanaungatanga are the school values. The senior leadership team is newly formed, including a first-time principal, whose tenure started at the beginning of Term 2, 2024. 

The Ministry of Education appointed a Limited Statutory Manager (LSM) in October 2023. The functions of the LSM were extended in March 2024 to include employment, policies and procedures and to retain curriculum management. 

Education Counts provides further information about the school’s student population, student engagement and student achievement, school enrolments and school zones. educationcounts.govt.nz/home  

An explanation of the terms and judgements used in this report can be found here: Reporting | Education Review Office

Improvement and progress 

This section is about the progress the school has made since the August 2022 ERO report. It includes an explanation of the expected improvements and findings.

Expected improvements

The school has focused on accelerating the progress of learners in Years 1 to 10, below expected curriculum levels in literacy and numeracy.

As the result of considerable change in school leadership over the past 18 months, and with support from the LSM there is a clear focus on improving outcomes for learners.

Findings

There has been a shift in the school’s culture aimed at raising expectations for both achievement and attendance, alongside strengthened relationships with whānau and the community to advance key strategic improvement goals. Engagement with whānau and the community has strengthened through report evenings, regular reporting student progress and whānau days.

A clear focus on literacy and numeracy learning is evident across the school. Achievement data is beginning to be used to monitor and track student achievement. Accelerated data is not available. Current data shows that a half of students in Years 1 to 10 are below the expected curriculum levels.

Curriculum development is progressing, with a focus on local history and geography, including iwi. A bilingual whānau class for Year 1 to 7 has been established after consultation with the community.

Updated strategic and annual plans fare better focused on school improvement and whānau engagement to enhance learner outcomes. A student progress and achievement tracking system is being developed.

What we know about learner success

This section provides a summary of learner success, wellbeing and foundation school conditions, including any education in Rumaki/Reo Rua settings. The judgments are based on the ERO School Improvement Framework and evidence provided to ERO during the evaluation.

Less than a third

Less than half

Small majority

Large majority

Most

Almost all

0 to 33%

34 to 49%

50 to 64%

65 to 79%

80 to 90%

Over 90%

Learner Success and Wellbeing 

This section provides a summary of learner success and wellbeing.

The school is working towards improving outcomes for all learners

• In 2024, less than a third of students gained National Certificates of Educational Achievement (NCEA) Levels 1, 2 or 3. No students gained University Entrance. A small majority gained Level 1 literacy and less than a third gained numeracy.
• Less than half of Years 2 to 10 students are at or above the expected curriculum levels for reading and mathematics, and less than a third for writing.
• Although regular attendance is increasing, with less than half the students attending regularly, the school is well behind the Government target. Chronic attendance is decreasing over time.
• A student survey showed that the majority of students see school as a secure and caring place.  

Conditions to support learner success

This section provides a summary of leadership, teaching, curriculum and foundation school conditions for improvement.

Leadership is becoming more strategic and highly collaborative with a deliberate focus on improving outcomes for learners.

• As a result of consultation with the community and iwi, leaders and the Board have a strategic plan with key priorities that are reflective of what whānau want for their children and young people.
• Leadership is developing processes and systems to strengthen the organisational structure of the school for sustainable change focused on improved student educational outcomes.
• Leaders are strengthening relational trust, collaboration, and communication focused on a positive school culture and subsequent improvements to students’ wellbeing, engagement, attendance, progress and achievement. 

Teachers engage in collaborative inquiry to reflect on and increasingly adapt their practices to meet learner needs. 

• Programmes and initiatives have been implemented for students with varied learning needs. The curriculum focuses on much needed development of foundational skills in reading, writing and mathematics.
• Teaching practices are relational and affirming between students and teachers. Classrooms have clearly established routines and expectations for learning.
• Classroom observations undertaken by ERO showed positive learning environments where students engage and are on task. Students commented to ERO that teachers knew them and at what stage they were with their learning.

Key conditions including learner wellbeing, staff collaboration and partnerships are strengthening. 

• Leaders engage with whānau, hapū, iwi and the wider community to strengthen learning focused partnerships
• The Board, staff and whānau have high expectations for all learners to be successful. The school is working to provide appropriate pathways so that students can make choices for life beyond school. A culture of care supports student wellbeing and sense of belonging.
• The school is using a range of strategies to reduce barriers to learning, such as getting students to school, learning support for those who need this and in-class teacher aides at all year levels. 

Next steps for improvement

This section provides more detail for the school to include in its strategic and annual planning for ongoing improvement across the school. It identifies key priorities and actions for improvement.

Key priorities

• Use the school plan to focus on raising attendance rates for all students and regularly review the effectiveness of strategies.
• Embed the professional learning in literacy and mathematics teaching in all classes and monitor that this is happening.
• Strengthen teacher capacity to accelerate learners’ progress through targeted professional.
• Strengthen the analysis and use of data to respond to student progress and achievement.

Actions to bring about improvement

Within six months:

• leaders have in place assessment processes and systems that give consistent and reliable data to measure student progress, inform next steps for learning and identify improvements needed for high quality of teaching
• leaders and teachers engage in assessment professional learning to strengthen teacher understanding of the analysis and use of data and accelerating progress
• leaders work with the Ministry of Education|LSM to address chronic absenteeism

Every six months:

• leaders and teachers gather analysed assessment data, to evaluate improvements in the quality of teaching and programmes of learning, and the impact on student progress and achievement
• leaders report to the Board and community on student attendance, wellbeing, progress and achievement

Annually:

• principal reports to the Board on the impact of the professional development programme on teaching capacity to accelerate student achievement
• leaders and the Board use accumulated assessment data and progress and achievement of all students in reading, writing, mathematics and NCEA to develop improvement steps in planning
• principal report to the Board on the impact of the Stepped Attendance Response Plan (STAR) to enable the Board to strategically respond.

Expected outcomes

• Improved regular attendance.
• The majority of students achieving in reading, writing and mathematics and improved NCEA qualifications.
• Consistent, good quality teaching practice across all year levels.
• Consistent use of achievement data to monitor student progress and to inform next steps in teaching practice and school direction.

The next public report on ERO’s website will be a School Evaluation Report and is due within four years.

Me mahi tahi tonu tātau, kia whai oranga a tātau tamariki
Let’s continue to work together for the greater good of all children

Sharon Kelly
Director of Schools 

6 November 2025